


A Tight Spot

by Trippenwitz



Series: A Rock and A Hard Place [1]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: F/M, Orgasm Delay/Denial, excuse plot for smut, that's really all this is
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-26
Updated: 2012-11-28
Packaged: 2017-11-19 14:30:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Underage
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/574264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Trippenwitz/pseuds/Trippenwitz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John and Rose are not idiots, but they are teenagers. And even a homicidal quasi-doggod can't change the fact that they are way, way too close.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well. All I have to say about this is that this is more than a year old. Written long before Act 6, it follows a sort of alternate timeline--let's say it's one where, after going God Tier, John swings by Rose's place. So our story begins with the two kids on the shores of the Land of Light and Rain....

It’s the rain that saves them. Against the gentle pastels of the drizzle they see the pitch black figure almost instantly, his wings throwing an ominous shadow against the glittering white sands of LOLAR. John’s heart feels like it’s climbing up into his throat, and for a moment the two can only watch the carapace soar in the sky like a twisted imitation of a vulture, his slow circle of the air like the swing of a clock counting down to their deaths. After what feels like an eternity, Rose’s lips part to form but a single word:  
  
  
“ _Run._ ”  
  
  
And they do. The two players run, run, run, unable to even look over their shoulders to see if the former sovereign is in pursuit. All they can do is duck their heads and pray for a few seconds to put distance between the two of them and him, if even that.  
  
“Ro…Rose…” John pants, “This won’t help, the second he sees us-.”  
  
“Don’t talk,” she states, voice flat with fear. “Don’t think. Just move.”  
  
They travel further and further into the dunes, the sandy slopes being broken up more and more frequently by pink stone. Finally Rose skids to a stop in front of an outcropping of rock. John halts too, seeing the opening the same time she does. “Do you think…?”  
  
“Try. Go in, quick.”   
  
He doesn’t need to be told twice. John scrambles between the tight gap between the stones, wedging his body between the hard lips of the miniature cave. It’s dark, cramped, and incredibly uncomfortable… but there’s room for one more person, and that’s all that matters. “We can fit!” He calls to her. “Come on, hurry!”  
  
Darting a look behind her, Rose crawls in swiftly. There’s just barely an inch’s space between the two of them, but it can suffice. Rose turns to the opening, and the two of them look to the sky. The black figure continues to pinwheel lazily in the air—he hasn’t seen them. Rose relaxes about a hair’s width. “Don’t move,” she manages to whisper. John murmurs a quiet agreement, and they go still.  
  
They wait.

* * *

The seconds tick away, marching into minutes. Rose hasn’t moved an inch since turning to the sky, but it feels as if every cell in her body is vibrating with adrenaline. Stoically she keeps her eyes on their unwitting captor. To her it seems that Jack is on some sort of patrol of her planet, making rounds in the most agonizingly slow way. Could he have known that the two of them were here? No, most likely it was just fate taking a crap on them yet again. A silent sigh escapes her lungs, but her eyes don’t waver.  
  
John doesn’t seem to be doing so well. She hasn’t looked at him since they had hidden, but she can feel him against her back, every hummingbird heartbeat and quaver. Every so often he swallows audibly, shifting from foot to foot. The smell of sweat strengthens slowly—although, she has to admit, at least half of that was her contribution. Fear and tension wage a war inside her throat, and her heart leaps every time that black shadow draws near. Still, whatever she feels he seems to feel a hundred times over. Part of her wants to say something comforting…but what, she can’t say.  
  
“-prints.”  
  
Rose angles her head as much as she could in the tight space. “What?”  
  
“Our footprints!” He hisses.  
  
Her eyes snap forward, not at the sky but at the white sand, which sure enough holds their tracks like clay. “ _Shit._ ” Rose fumbles as best she can for her wands, racking her brain for any spell that might help—but before she can make a move John extends an arm from behind her head. “Wait, what are you…?”  
  
The breeze answers her. A low, light wind rushes past her and out of their hiding spot. Before her eyes the sand outside the crevice is swept smooth, as if an invisible hand is brushing it clean. Despite the tension, she gives a small, grateful smile. “On occasion, I truly am glad to have you on our side.”  
  
“We’re not out of the woods,” John murmurs, his breath heavy and warm in her ear. “I’m not sure how much I cleaned up…I tried to do a pretty big area, but there still might be remnants….if he sees them…”  
  
“…he’ll know we’re here,” she finishes grimly, and she feels him nod.  
  
They wait.

* * *

The minutes march by. John’s body is beginning to feel stiff from standing in place for so long, and he can’t help shifting in his spot occasionally. His heart pounds like a frantic drum, the beats reverberating from his skull to his fingertips, and he is seized by the urge to move. If Rose wasn't here to keep him grounded, he might tru something hideously stupid like making a bolt for it…and he knows where that would get him. Having her here calms her down, not entirely, but enough.  
  
…and yet, he almost wishes that she _weren’t_ here. Not just because she wouldn't have been in danger, but because...

Because while the thought of Jack turning him into Swiss cheese is a frightening one, it doesn’t feel as important as it should. Because while part of him wants to shrivel up in pure terror, part of him is fixated on the girl standing against his front. Part of him feels her shoulders move with every breath. Part of him takes notes on the soft blond hair mere millimeters away from brushing his cheek.  
  
And part of him wants to smack himself—because seriously, doesn’t he have more important things to worry about? This isn’t the time to be dealing with his stupid hormones, no matter how close she is, no matter how lovely it sounds when she turns to him with a hushed whisper of  
  
“He’s here.”  
  
John jolts. “W-what?”  
  
“He’s landed. He descended into a dune not too far from here. He’ll probably see the leftover tracks and figure out we’re somewhere in the area, and—.”  
  
There’s a loud noise, a huge CRACK of steel on stone, and Rose winces. “...start doing that.”  
  
Jack takes flight again, John can see even from his limited view, and descends— much, much closer than before. Rose’s arms go tense at her side, and the oddest desire to hold her flickers through John’s head like a delirious firefly. He gives his head the slightest shake in an attempt to get a grip.   
  
There come more CRACKs, followed by the impact of falling rocks amongst the dunes. From what John can tell Jack is simply going through every possible hiding place like a berserk weed whacker. It might be funny if it weren’t for the fact that he’s running out of rocks to obliterate. John’s heartbeat quickens, until the pounding of it in his skull threatens to give him a headache. Distracted by the dull throbbing, it takes him a moment to realize that Rose has pulled out the Thorns, carefully pointing one outside their hiding spot.   
  
“R-Rose?” he whispers anxiously. “What are you doing—you won’t be able to take him down—!”  
  
“I know,” she murmurs, not a bit of emotion betrayed by her voice. “I’m not aiming for him.”  
  
“Then what—?” But the wand answers him with a hiss—from its tip erupts a violet ball of light. He only sees it for a brief instant before it suddenly jets away, too fast for the eye to catch properly. It disappears into the distance as a faint streak of purple.  
  
A small breath of air escapes Rose’s mouth. “That,” she says, “was more visible than I thought it would be.” Her voice doesn’t change, but her back is completely rigid. “…he might have seen that.”  
  
John swallows. “Well…what sort of spell…”  
  
His voice dies in his throat. Jack is there.  
  
He’s quite a distance from them, but still close enough for them to see the bright patterns on his ragged cloak, the loud colors standing out against his pitch black body. They can see the impatient twitch of his wings, the glare of the sun on his…glasses. John swallows yet again, opening and closing his fists at his sides. Rose inhales.  
  
He walks closer.  
  
( _her hands are shaking_ )  
  
Closer.   
  
( _hold them_ )  
  
And he turns-


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A small note: I subscribe to the" voice-to-text Pesterchum feature" headcanon, in case some parts seem confusing. I tried to make it clear in a subtle way, but....well -\0_0/-

**BOOM.**  
  
All of them jump. The sound, though obviously from a great distance, was great enough to make the ground shake. Jack quickly recovers, whipping his head towards the sky. He snarls, spreading his wings and taking off, sword in hand.   
  
John watches in disbelief as the carapace shrinks in the distance. Rose is silent for a long moment before letting out a single, relieved chuckle. “Well. I suppose we can call that one a success.”  
  
“Was…was that your spell?”  
  
“Indeed it was. While I prefer not to fight dirty, one must make exception on occasion…it exploded quite a distance from here, so by the time Jack discovers the impact he will hopefully have forgotten about this area.” She turns to him with a tiny smile. “I can’t let you one-up me all the time, even if you are a--.” Her voice trails off upon seeing his face, his mouth twitching with barely contained laughter. “What…what? What is so funny?”  
  
John grins. “I KNEW it.”  
  
“Knew what?”  
  
“You ripped that off from Harry Potter.”  
  
Rose goes rigid. “…no I didn’t.”  
  
“Did to! There were those-ah, what do you call ‘em, the horn-type things from the last book that waddled away and blew up! I mean, your spell didn’t have horns or whatever but it was pretty much the same thing!”  
  
“A coincidence,” she says flatly, but the color in her cheeks suggests something different. “I’m certain J.K Rowling doesn’t have a copyright on common sense. Anyone would have thought of the same thing.”  
  
“Riiiiight.” He leans forward to poke her in the cheek. “Whatever you say Miss Potter.” Poke. “Miss Granger. Miss Rose Granger.” Poke. “No wait, what was the kid’s name-?”  
  
“STOP.” She wheels around to whack him on the head. “We are dropping the subject, and that’s final.”  
  
“Aww, you even act like her!” He laughs even as she bops him yet again, and before they know it both of them are whacking each other and laughing. They’re overwhelmed with giddiness, half out of pure relief of being alive, half out of plain absurdity. Even Rose, shaking her head at the pure ridiculousness, laughs nearly as loud as John, unrepressed, almost joyful. Eventually he catches both her hands and they lock eyes combatively, aggressively…  
  
Their laughter dies, and they can only pant as they try to catch their breath…  
  
 ** _BOOM._**  
  
They jump yet again, and the spell is broken. Rose turns back to her spot to watch the skies. In the distance John sees a speck fly up into the air, perhaps the way a boulder would look when flung by an infuriated hellbeast in annoyance. Rose offers one last chuckle. “I do believe he found the spell.”  
  
“Heh, yeah. Bet he’s pissed.”  
  
“Better he be pissed a few miles away from us.” Rose sighs. “We may need to stay here a while, until we’re certain he leaves.”  
  
“How will we be certain?”  
  
“We’ll stop hearing explosions.”  
  
“…point.”  
  
They wait.

* * *

 

TG: hey   
  
TG: you guys still okay right  
  
TG: jade says the big bad douche is still on lolar   
  
TG: hes just keeps divebombing the ocean and going back into the atmosphere  
  
TG: like he thinks maybe he tries it enough times and he can take it by surprise or something  
  
TG: its like  
  
TG: itd almost be hilarious   
  
TG: except he can kill pretty much everyone and everything  
  
TG: except the sea  
  
TG: its the agony of his life  
  
TG: so yeah jade says you two should lay low a bit until he gets out  
  
TG: well try our best to keep an eye on him  
  
TG: see ya  
  
  
  
GG: rose rose you guys okay????? O:  
  
GG: …well actually I guess thats kind of a dumb question since I can see you!  
  
GG: heehee  
  
GG: yeahhhh that doesnt look very comfy, but I’m sorry to say you’re going to have to stay there a while!!! :(  
  
GG: jack is still being a big king of dicks in the shape of an adorable dog :/  
  
GG: me and dave are keeping an eye on him, right now he’s still like a mile from you guys  
  
GG: but we’re afraid he might try doubling back!!!  
  
GG: sooooooo   
  
GG: yeah  
  
GG: it’ll probably be better if you hang tight there a little while longer  
  
GG: sorry!!!!!! we’ll get you out of there as soon as we can!!!!

* * *

Bored, Rose scrolls through her messages for perhaps the fifth time. She and John had been so engrossed in their hiding away that it had taken them a few minutes to realize they had ignored their Pesterchums for a while, leaving them both with quite a few messages from Jade and Dave. With the help of a particular set of glasses, the other pair had apparently been playing scout for them, and while Rose is grateful, it just makes her feel restless. She’s tired of hiding.  
  
The minutes are creeping dangerously close to hours—well, one at the very least. Rose sighs as she massages the skin between her eyebrows. While she’d like to think that she and Dave were as different as possible, the Derse dreamers obviously share their impatience. She shifts weight from one foot to the next. Yes, very obviously.   
  
John went quiet a while ago. She’s faintly concerned—she thought that after Jack had put a great distance between him and them he would have calmed down. But he just seems to have grown more antsy, often jiggling his leg or cracking his neck. Occasionally he blurts something to her or even simply laughs at the silence. Maybe he’s just feeling restless as well.   
  
For what feels like the hundredth time in an hour she lifts her eyes to the sky. The colors are so incredibly bright, as if some omnipotent twelve year old turned on the contrast of a universal Photoshop too high. Blues, so many blues, neon to taffeta to ocean. And interspersed with it all is the eternal downpour that engulfs her planet, all those eye-searing hues that change with each new wave of rain. Now it’s yellow, now it’s pink, red, even shades of green if she looks close enough. And with it comes the endless patter of water, a melody she remembers from her days back at home. Simply resting on her back with her eye to the sky, listening to April’s cruel song lulling her to sleep. She lays back on her bed, snuggling against her pillow as she remembers-  
  
“Uh, Rose?”  
  
She opens her eyes. “Mm?”  
  
“Um, are you…okay? You’re kind of falling asleep on me here.”  
  
Rose sighs. “Forgive me, I assure you it’s not your fault. You’re perfectly entertaining company, I’m simply unaccustomed to standing in one place for-.”  
  
“N-no, I mean…you’re literally asleep on me.”

She blinks, blinks, blinks, and suddenly it hits her like a brick to the face that, oops, he’s right. In her half-conscious state she had been leaning against John, her back against his front, and judging by his tense posture he wasn’t all that comfortable with being a pillow. Rose pulls away. “S-sorry.” She touches her face as if trying to hide her blush.   
  
“S’okay…” He looks rather flustered too, but he offers her a reassuring (if awkward) smile. “I’m not exactly Mr. Energetic either.”  
  
She chuckles, but mentally shakes her head. What was wrong with her? God, after everything they had done she should be able to handle a little bit of standing still without losing her composure. Why did he have to be so damn comfortable? He’s lean enough, and yet somehow still has enough ‘padding’ to make for a suitable bed. A soft bed…  
  
That last thought jolts her like a bucket of ice water, and before she can get a grip the Pesterchum buzzes. She quickly turns away from John as she activates her eyepiece, hoping she doesn’t look as embarrassed as she feels…  
  
  
TT: Jade?

TT: Jade, is everything alright? Has Jack left? 

TT: Jade, say something. 

GG: OUT!!!!!!!!!! 

TT: Um. 

GG: GET! 

GG: OUT! 

GG: NOW!!!!!! 

GG: AAAAHHUDHH(*#*H#*(&(&RY&(YR#R& !!!!! 

TT: o_o 

GG: huh? 

GG: oh! 

GG: crap i’m sorry rose that wasn’t meant at you!!!! 

TT: I would certainly hope not. 

GG: sorry D: 

TT: Don't fret. Accepted apologies are on discount today: 

TT: The low low fee of one sincere emoticon. 

GG: :D

GG: bluuuurrrrgh 

GG: sorry sorry, ugh these stupid imps!!!! 

GG: see a bunch broke in and i had to run them out 

GG: i was just yelling at a few that were left

GG: ugh they ransacked my room and everything is a mess! 

GG: and 

GG: um 

GG: i think 

GG:one took the glasses

TT: Oh.

TT: Oh, damn. That isn’t good.

GG: tell me about it D:

GG: dave and jadesprite went to track them down

GG: i wanted to help but then I remembered you two! jack might still be there!!!

TT: Dammit.

TT: And you have no idea of knowing whether he’s left or not?

GG: no… :(

GG: i’m really sorry!!!!

TT: Its fine, I’m sure you rather not have had that happen.

TT: But this does spell a bit of trouble for us.

TT: What was Jack doing the last time you checked?

GG: flying

GG: he MIGHT have been leaving the planet…

GG: …but he was heading in your guy’s direction

GG: but!!!! he might have just been passing though!

GG: here, i have an idea

GG: earlier when i was checking on you i looked on your guy’s cave-thing from the outside instead of inside

GG: and I saw it doesn’t have a solid ceiling, it’s a few loose rocks!

GG: see if you can move one! you’ll be able the sky clearer without giving yourself away!

TT: Hmm.

 

“What’d she say?” John asks. Rose looks up. The cave, if it can even be called that, seems to have been formed by a large, hour-glass shaped fissure in the stone. Smaller rocks fill the upper part, but if she could reach…

“John, could you help me with this?” 

“Huh?” He looks up as well. “What are you going to do?”

“Jade told me we might be able to move a few of these stones to get a better view of the outside…damn, it’s just a little too high.” She steps closer to him as she stretches up on the balls of her feet. “Could you give me a boost?”   
  
“Um…” John frowns, teeth working on his lip. “ I…I guess I could like…” He tries bending over as if to pick her up by the waist, but the space is too cramped-he ends up nearly on top of her. “W-wait, no, that won’t work. Here…stand up on my feet.”  
  
Rose hesitates, but she steps forward, up on the arches of his feet, bringing her to a height slightly above his head. Wobbling a bit, she instinctively grabs John’s shoulders for balance. John twitches. “Sorry,” she says. “Not the most elegant solution, but it works. Good thinking.”  
  
“Heh. Thanks.” He smiles in an “it-can’t-be-helped” way. “Uh, if you’re going to need your hands, maybe I should…” He places his hands on her waist firmly. “Like that. I-if that’s alright.”  
  
“Yes, don’t worry,” Rose says idly, returning to her task.  
  
The rocks are hard and packed tight together. Pulling them seems futile-- besides being stuck tight it’s hard to get a proper grip on the sharp faces and edges. She frowns, staggering forward a bit. John gives a sort of subdued shutter. ”Um, Rose…”  
  
“Sorry,” she murmurs once more, biting her lip in frustration. If only one of them could just force them out in a burst of wind or magic, but that would just defeat the point of hiding. Her eyepiece chirps again:

  
GG: hey, how’s it going??  
  
TT: Ugh. Slowly, stupidly. None of these rocks are budging.   
  
GG: hmmm  
  
GG: are you pulling or pushing?  
  
  
“R-Rose…” John’s voice is a bit strange, as if he’s biting his lip. “Rose, I…”  
  
“I’m sorry John, please give me a moment.” Carefully, Rose turns, her hips passing his slowly. “Pulling. Do you think it’ll work if I try pushing them out?”  
  
  
TT: Pulling. Do you think it’ll work if I try pushing them out?  
  
GG: yeah!!!! like…  
  
GG: like, um  
  
GG: dirt? imagine you’re a meerkat!!! :D  
  
TT: …  
  
GG: … :D  
  
TT: …  
  
TT: I’ll try.  
  
  
She places a hand on John’s front for balance and stretches another towards the ceiling. After a moment of resistance, the rocks yield a bit. “There we go.” With a small smile of triumph she uses her other hand as well—she doesn’t need to support herself anyways, she’s practically sitting against John- and carefully pushes on the largest one, and she hears the satisfying clink of stone on stone.  
  
  
TT: Alright, now we’re getting somewhere.  
  
GG: heehee! what’d I tell you??  
  
TT: For the record, I was most definitely not imagining I was any sort of small furry mammal.  
  
GG: suuure ;P  
  
TT: How you made the jump from clearing rocks to meerkats is beyond me.  
  
GG: well anyways, how’s it going?  
  
TT: Well, I have a small crack here. And I can safely assure you that at least 2 inches of the sky are 100% Jack free.  
  
TT: If I push this one up a litAHUSHkhhoirch  
  
GG: …???  
  
  
GG: rose???? is everything okay?!?!  
  
  
It feels as if time has stopped. The two of them stand completely still, and even the sound of the rain seems to fade away. Rose’s eyes stare straight in front of her, her pupils nearly invisible with shock. After a long, long moment, she shuts her eyes and quietly steps away from John.  
  
  
GG: rose!!! rose!!!! come on, say something!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
TT: Something.  
  
GG: oh thank god!  
  
GG: I was so worried something had happened to you guys!!!!  
  
TT: We’re fine.   
  
GG: but why did you make that…letterspasm???  
  
TT: …  
  
TT: I need to go.  
  
GG: ...what?

TT: I know that seems like an odd request, given our predicament.  
  
TT: But...There’s something I need to take care of.  
  
TT: Can I ask you to trust me?  
  
GG: i...  
  
GG: rose, you know i trust you!! but why...what could possibly be this important that you couldn't tell me??  
  
Rose shoots a brief look behind her.  
  
TT: Please, Jade.  
  
GG: ...  
  
GG: ....alright  
  
TT: Thank you. I’ll message you back as soon as I can.   
  
GG: …..okay :/  
  
GG: if you say so  
  
GG: you both be careful, alright?  
  
TT: We will, thank you. Goodbye.  
  
  
She closes the messenger and takes a long, meaningful sigh. Slowly, Rose turns back to John and raises an expectant eyebrow.  
  
He stands against the cave wall-and even in the dim light, she can see the color burning in his cheeks. His eyes suggest the sheer terror of someone who had thrown a rock at a strange looking fruit only to find a million livid, living pin needles. “I…” He sputters. “I’m…”  
  
She simply lets her gaze drop to his hips.  
  
“Care to explain yourself?”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> OH BOY KIDS, HERE WE GO

Stupid, stupid, stupid. That was the only thing thundering in John’s head as Rose had stepped away from him. Her voice was perfectly level as she said goodbye to Jade, but he could see her shoulders still frozen in that jolt of shock when he had…god, STUPID.  And now as she turns with that question and that cold, calm look in her eyes, he realizes that, no, he has no idea how to explain himself. But he has to. Because the Rose in front of him is unreadable, not a shred of shock or anger betrayed...which only convinces him that she’s mad as hell.  
  
  
“John?”  
  
  
“I-I’m sorry!!” He blurts, trying his best to close his legs. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to, I didn’t want to!”  
  
  
She quirks a brow. “Is that so?”  
  
  
“Of course it’s so! Why would I even want to have…to get…” John looks as far away as possible, face feeling red hot. “I’d never want to do anything like that to you on purpose!”  
  
  
There’s a pause, and Rose speaks quietly, almost calmingly. “Then why…how did you get like that?”  
  
  
His teeth clench in embarrassment. “O-oh come on, Rose, this is humiliating enough…”  
  
  
“Sorry?”  
  
  
“You know how it is!...you know, for guys!”  
  
  
“Do I?”  
  
  
John pauses, blinks, and dares to take a look at her. To his surprise, Rose is the one looking embarrassed, eyes averted, hands clasped together and twitching awkwardly. After a moment she brings her eyes back to meet his. “You assume that I’m so experienced with the workings of the male body. Perhaps you should consider the possibility that I’m just as confused as you are concerning the opposite gender.” She sighs, tucking a short lock of hair behind her ear. “Let us assume, just for a moment, that maybe my knowledge of sex comes from bits and pieces gathered from assorted media and questionable accounts found on the Internet, and in so that I’m quite a bit clueless about this situation.”  
  
John’s shoulders loosen. “…you really don’t know?”  
  
  
“Well, I'm not completely in the dark. I have a vague idea of how it works--Am I correct in saying that the male needs to…ah, stimulate himself to achieve-.” She gives the slightest nod at his lower body. “-this state?”  
  
  
“No—I mean, yeah, you can but…” He swallows, twisting his body as if trying to avoid her gaze. “In cases, sometimes, um…you know, being touched and being in….close contact with someone, it can…you can be…”  
  
  
“Aroused.”  
  
  
John blushes and rubs the lower part of his face with a hand. “Heh, y-yeah…pretty much. When you were, like…” He laughs out of pure nervousness. “You know, sitting against me and leaning against me, and…all that. I didn't mean to get like this on purpose, honest! It just...” He ducks his head. "Sort of happened."  
  
  
“…I see.”  
  
  
The silence roars between raindrops.

“So…what will you do?”  
  
“Do?” John blinks rapidly. “I-I can’t _do_ anything about it. I mean, I could...finish it myself, I guess, b-but, God, I’d never do that in front of you!”  
  
“You wouldn’t?”  
  
“Uh duh, of course not!”  
  
“And no one could do it for you?”  
  
“Of co.......?”  
  
John whips his head back to her to find that Rose has stepped the tiniest bit closer. Her eyes are on the floor, almost shy, but her shoulders are straight and her head is high.  
  
“R…Rose?”  
  
Carefully she meets his gaze. “Wouldn’t it…help if someone else could finish it for you?”  
  
John opens and shuts his mouth. The temperature of the cave seems to spike. "...if...."  
  
“Hypothetically speaking,” and she steps just a little bit closer. “If I were to use my hand to simulate the necessary actions, wouldn’t it work the same?”  
  
After a long search John locates the speech centers of his brain, only to find them completely fogged up. “That…if I were to…b…buh…”  
  
“And…” And now she’s so, so tantalizingly close. He can count every pale eyelash, see the shine on the dip of her lips. His throat goes through a thousand year drought in the space of a second. “And if I were to do…” She lifts a hand tentatively to her eyes, as if imagining just what she could do with it. “…this…”

And before John’s wide, nearly bulging eyes, the hand drops, drops, drops to drag five slim fingers between his legs and _ohhhhhhh Jesus-_  
  
“John?” Alarmed, she pulls back her hand and John almost wants to cry. “Are you alright?”  
  
“I-I-I-I-I’m,” he gasps, pulling in a shuddering breath. “I’m fine. It…oh god.” He leans against the cave wall, panting in the aftershock of that amazing sensation below his belt. After a moment his breathing slows. “That…wow.”  
  
“I’m guessing this is a positive reaction.” He nods slowly, dazed and near confused. “Hmm. Well.” With a little more confidence, she reaches for the spot where he strains against his jeans, with just two fingers this time, and she draws her thumb  
  
  
  
(s l o w l y)  
  
  
  
down. He gasps yet again, turning away and bracing himself with his arms against the stone. And yet again she  
  
  
  
(slow slow oh so s l o w )  
  
  
strokes him, so tender and yet so  _jesus CHRIST_  he's losing control. A hand flies to his mouth, but not in time to catch a strangled “oh  _jeez”_    
  
“…John.” And between the heat of their bodies, the building warmth in his cheeks, the building warmth of  _everything,_  her breath almost feels cold against his ear. He shivers, just barely fighting off the desire to moan. “Do you remember how this all started? The game, and everything?”

With her other hand she wipes a bead of sweat on his temple he hadn’t even felt. “You had to trust that I would be there for you, even if you couldn’t see me. I’m going to do this for you, and help you the best I can. All I want is for you to do what you did before…”She lifts his shaking chin so that he looks right into her deep purple eyes. “Trust me.”  
  
“…” Slowly, he swallows. “O…okay.”  
  
  
And he waits.

 


	4. Chapter 4

After a hushed moment Rose steels herself. Leaning in, she places one hand on the stone curve of the cave, just above John’s shoulder. The other she lets skim his upper thigh, and immediately a shudder goes through his body. He tips his head back against the wall, hands bracing himself against the stone. For a moment she just watches him: the eyes shut in anticipation behind glass lenses, the tousled dark hair, the warm, still warming spread of blush from cheekbone to cheekbone.   
  
She closes her eyes.  
  
A slow hiss of air escapes John’s lips as she brings her hand inward. He shifts, bringing his legs close together a moment only to open them once more. Giving him a second to gather himself, Rose draws her thumb up to his zipper, forming a loose imitation of a fist around the bulge of denim. His hips give a little jump, but he does not move away.  
  
Experimentally she curls her wrist, almost as if flexing her arm, and one of John’s hands jump to his mouth. “ _Oh-_ ” Just as quickly it returns to the wall, but he begins to bite down on his lower lip, eyes shut and twitching.  
  
Every moment of her hand produces something different. A stroke earns a stifled moan. A gentle grasp gains a lick of his lips. As she begins to gain confidence a strange feeling goes through Rose, something partially curiosity, partially fascination. To think that she could be doing this to a boy, to be the one controlling his reactions like this…her face is void of feeling, but she gives a little tremble.  
  
John’s breath quickens, turning to quiet huffs. Rose looks back to him. His hair hangs dark and tousled over his eyes. He bites his down firmly on his lower lip in an attempt to not make a sound. His desperate expression is a bizarre juxtaposition with his youthful face, all cute buckteeth and childish blush. And yet, it’s so very obvious that that face is maturing. What she looks at is a boy on the edge of adulthood, a boy toeing a fine line between shyly adorable and…oddly desirable.  
  
“R-Rose,” he manages to gasp, and Rose snaps from her thoughts. “I-I…you need to…”  
  
“Yes?”  
  
His eyes flicker open, barely, lids heavy and hooded over them. “You know…grab me. It. Actually grab  _it_.”  
  
Rose frowns. “Is this not enough?”  
  
“You have to…you know, sort of pump your hand.” His blush deepens. “I’m…I’m not really sure how to describe it…”  
  
She sighs. “Well, I don’t think I’d be able to help you unless you’re willing to give a demonstration -.”  
  
Her voice halts. His eyes open wide.   
  
The sound of rain swells for a long moment…and then, slowly, John brings a hand to fall on hers. Her eyes are drawn to it. The palm is wide, almost like a spade, and yet the fingers are slim and dexterous---piano player’s fingers. For one bizarre moment the feel of his hand on hers seems more intimate than the contact they had been sharing seconds ago.  
  
“You have to…” Somehow his face grows redder. “Well, first take care of this…” John unbuttons, unzips, but doesn’t disrobe. “Um, and then…” She nods in understanding, and together their hands go under the fabric. Her eyes widen as she feels him, feels  _him_ , and she has to bite her lip a little. At the same time a stiffled groan escapes him.

“Oh man,” he whispers. “O...okay. Well, then, just…” He begins a slight up and down motion, gentle and slow, almost as if frightened. Rose soon follows, moving in tandem with him, and the reaction is spectacular. “Oh my g-.” Like lightning he draws his hand back to the wall. “Oh god, I can’t, if we do it together I won’t…”  
  
She slows. “Do you want me to go on?”  
  
“Yes yes ohgodyes.” John nods vigorously, the lump in his throat jumping. “P…please.” Calmly she continues, quickening the motion he showed her.  
  
Time goes on, and gradually everything seems to fade. The universe contracts to that lonely little cave, the world becoming his body, every gasp, every groan he can’t hold in, every little buck of his hips against her hand. Strange. The only undone clothes are the jeans that still cling to his hips, their only contact linked by fingers…and yet, there is an intimacy she never would have thought possible. She's watched the movies, even smuggled the occasional book out of the Adults Only section of the library, and it had all had seemed so boring. Boy meets girl, boy boffs girl, wham, bam, thank you ma’am. Writers could use the more graphic description, directors could script the most overblown,, overmemotional scenes, and it would barely catch her interest. But this, a cave, a boy, the awkward stumblings of adolescence, it's all so imperfect and...perfect, in it's own clumsy, sincere way. She has never experienced anything close to this.  
  
And as bad as it may be, Rose realizes she doesn’t want it to end. So as his breath reaches a peak, she slows to a gentle stroke. “Curious,” she says casually, as observing a mildly interesting painting. “So it’s blood that makes it do that?”  
  
John opens his eyes, and their strange haze gives way to a look of confusion. “Makes it…what?”  
  
“Stand. Harden. Whatever you prefer.” Her fingers barely twitch now. “Blood flow switches to the groin, away from the stomach…and the head too, I’m guessing?”  
  
John only stares at her with the most priceless expression of utter bewilderment. After a moment he manages speech. “What…what are talking about? I mean, yeah, but why are you even…?”  
  
“I just wonder which areas are more sensitive,” she goes on idly. “Tell me, can you feel me more on the shaft…” With her thumb she strokes him there, producing aching tremors. “Or the head?” Rose extends her finger deeper into his boxers to produce the desired groan. “It’s just all very…interesting.”  
  
“Rose,” he hisses. “Rose, this is all oh so very FASCINATING but  _ohgod_ -.” And he moans out loud, everything below his waist quavering as she speeds up yet again. She gives a small smile.  
  
And so it goes. Several times Rose brings him close only to slow down to ask something, or note an observation. Each time she brings him one tantalizing bit closer to the edge and pauses to long enough for him to cool down. And with every round of her game of her cat-and-mouse game John grows a tantalizing bit more desperate, his groans gaining volume, his hips shivering and bucking under her touch, his knuckles going white again the cave wall. Sweat begins to bead on his skin, and his vocalizations increase, keening, almost whimpering.  
  
And finally he can’t take it. When she pulls her hand back again he staggers forward, just the smallest bit, but enough to make her draw back in shock. “J-John?”  
  
“Rose I can’t…” His voice is about as calm as a sea at storm. “I can’t…I can’t  _handle_  this…” And he clutches her shoulders, bringing her hand back to touch him. John gasps and ducks his head, canting his hips so they’re almost flush against hers. “Rose, _please_ …”

The desperation in his voice hits her like a bucket of cold water, and Rose suddenly feels guilty, almost ashamed. “I…I’m sorry,” she murmurs. “I didn’t realize…”  
  
“S’okay,” he breathes. “I’ll live.” And for all his sweating and shaking he almost chuckles—and that just makes her feel worse. Leave it to John to try and assure a girl who forced him to his metaphorical knees almost half a dozen times. With a grim sort of determination, Rose balls her free hand into a fist, and with the other begins moving once more.  
  
Within seconds John’s breathing spikes yet again, but this time Rose doesn’t pull back. On the contrary she speeds up, lengthening her strokes. Rose breaks her focus for a moment to look at John’s face. “Is this good?”  
  
“y….yeah,” he whispers, eyes shut in a sort of pained bliss. His head is thrown back against the wall, his Adam’s apple twitching erratically in his throat. “it’s good. Fan…tastic, ohgod.”  
  
  
Faster, faster, faster she goes, and a shift goes through John. His body gradually seems to slip from his control, hips bucking, rocking, almost thrashing in time with her hand. Eventually he simply gives up on trying to contain his voice, and everything spills out. “Oh god, oh god it’s so good. Rose…”  
  
“Yes.”  
  
“Oh god, Rose…Rose don’t stop, please don’t stop…”  
  
Without thinking she strokes the side of his cheek. “I won’t.”   
  
“Oh…oh f- _fuck_ , Jesus, I-I-I, I want-” and all of a sudden he steps forward, just the smalles bit, to clutch her arms, head bent down in front of hers. “-I need you, Rose I need you  _so bad_.”  
  
Or at least that’s what it sounds like. His voice is strained by desperation and most likely distorted by the pounding of blood in her ears. Telling herself that is the only way Rose manages to keep from freezing in shock, and even then she misses a beat. John moans, the warmth of it washing over her cheeks snapping her back into action.  
  
As he gets closer John’s vocabulary shrinks, dissolving to “oh”s and “yes”s and the occasional “Rose”. Finally he pulls away from her to push out two shivering words: “I-I’m close.”  
  
Blithely she nods. “Alright.”  
  
“Don’t stop…”  
  
She looks into his eyes to assure him. “I wo-.”   
  
Rose’s voice freezes.   
  
“Rose…”  
  
“J…John.” She tries to keep her voice still, to no avail. His eyes are shut tight in tension; he can’t see the dark figure reflected in his glasses. “John, I…”  
  
“oh-”  
  
“John, we have to-.” Before her eyes the figure steps closer. “Maybe we should-”  
  
“don’t stop-.“ He suddenly steps forward, clutching her by her arms. “oh, oh god please don’t stop-”  
  
“but he-”  
  
“Rose I can’t I have to **ohGODROSE** -.” And without warning he pulls her close to bury his face in the crook of her shoulder and he bites down he  _bites_  down on her and behind the spike of pain comes a thousand million meaningless words lovely words muffled into her skin and it’s warm, it’s warm, it’s so warm…  
  
And it ends.


	5. Chapter 5

He had searched long and hard, and finally he had found them. Amongst the dunes he followed the broken pink stone against the shimmering sands. He tracked the echoing cries to a small makeshift cavern, a group of stones that had collapsed in a fortunate way.   
  
Well. Fortunate, but not fortunate enough.  
  
He watches, waits, as the boy cries out against the girl. Occasionally he cocks his head, curious. The sounds that pool from the boy’s throat are half-pleasure, half-pain. He cries and cries until he’s finally brought to his fall and sinks into her. The girl holds the boy tight, and he knows it’s time. He opens his mouth, and lets out a mighty call:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  
  
  
  
“ _glub_.”  
  
  
  
The girl suddenly whips her head to face him, purple eyes wide, cheeks flushed almost as pink as the scarf around her waist. Her mouth works a moment before she finds words. “He…hello Viceroy. How do you do?”   
  
Beady black eyes blink. “ _glub. glub glub._ ”  
  
“I assume that you were curious as to what our whereabouts were. Rest assured, these are…indeed, our whereabouts. We are well. Quite…well.”  
  
A cocked head. “ _glub?_ ”  
  
“Yes, we will be returning to the base momentarily, we just need a moment to…rest. Um, from hiding. Please, return to the turtles and await our arrival.”  
  
“…”  
  
“…thank you. That will be all.”  
  
The Viceroy rolls his eyes, toddling away. Humans sure were weird.

* * *

Rose watches the tiny salamander shrink into the distance. Once she’s certain he’s out of hearing range she turns back to the boy on her shoulder. “John? John, are you…alright?”  
  
“…mhneh?” comes the dazed response. He lifts his head to look at her through hazy blue eyes. “Uh…heh.” A somewhat sheepish half-grin hangs on his face. “Yeah, I’m…good.”   
  
Slowly John pushes himself up, but he seems limp, falling back to lean against the wall. “Hum.” He shakes his head a little, frowning. “Were…were you talking with someone just now?”  
  
“It was just-.” She pauses. “One of the turtles. Looking for us, I assume, probably just to make sure I wasn’t desecrating any more ancient ruins.” Rose brings up a hand to play with a forelock of blond hair, only to think better of it, wiping it clean on the wall behind her. “Based on the fact that we’re still alive, I’m going to conclude that the threat of Jack is now moot. I suppose we should-ah-.” A jolt of pain goes down her arm as she straightens up. “…hm, well,” Rose grimaces slightly, rotating her shoulder. “Now we know your teeth aren’t purely for decoration.”  
  
“Huh…what do you…” John blinks, and suddenly he snaps out of his haze. “O-oh! Oh, jeez, Rose, I’m so sorry-!” His cheeks burn as he starts forward, grasping her shoulder tenderly. “Honestly I didn’t mean to do that, I don’t know what came over me!”  
  
As he goes on Rose watches, dumbfounded. She can’t believe it. After all that, after all that  _she_  did, the first thing on John’s mind was to make sure she was okay. Even being reduced to a state where he could barely stand he’s legitimately aware, aware and worried, furrowing his brow and leaning in as if wanting to kiss the spot better. _This boy_. Slowly a smile grows on her lips, and she shakes her head. “John.”  
  
John looks up midword. “Sor-…huh?”  
  
“S’okay.” She leans in. “I’ll live.”

A few seconds later they break the kiss, and John stares at her with wide eyes. For a moment his face seems blank with shock…but slowly his lazy grin returns. “Heh. You’re blushing.”  
  
Rose blinks, touching a hand to her cheek. “We-well, why wouldn’t I? This was something of a…flustering afternoon.”  
  
“But you’re blushing way more than before.” He tilts his head in to bop his forehead against hers. “It’s cute~”  
  
She rolls her eyes, angling her face away for more than one reason. In some strange way he was right: why on Earth should a kiss embarrass her more than a handjob (and, she supposed, that was what it was) should? It seemed more than a little presumptuous of her to pick now of all times to start acting like a blushing virgin. She sighs. Today had been a very strange day.  
  
Rose looks back to find John staring at her from bleary, loving eyes, and oh damn she feels her cheeks prickling again. “How are you feeling?” she asks, willing her face to go calm.“You look…dazed.”  
  
“I  _feel_  dazed,” he chuckles, rubbing his scalp. “My head’s all…fluffy. I mean, figuratively-like.” He sighs. “I kinda feel like sitting down…” And he does so, sliding down on the floor to sit between cramped legs. After a moment, Rose follows.  
  
“I’d like to apologize for…teasing you the way I did, earlier.” Idly, almost unthinkingly, she reaches over and begins gently threading his hair between her fingers. “The only explanation I can offer is that I was in a strange state of mind…I suppose adrenaline can do that to a person.” She bows her head a little. “But that is not an excuse. If I were to ask for your forgiveness…”  
  
“Heh, Rose I told you, don’t worry about it…” His voice comes low and lazy. “I was kind of acting a little weird too, remember?” John hums contently, leaning his head back against her hand. “Mm, keep doing that…”  
  
They stay like that a while, John soaking up her strokes like a satisfied cat. After a moment he scoots a little closer, resting his head against her shoulder. “If anything,” he murmurs drowsily, “I should be thanking you. That was…really great.” He blushes. “Heh, I know that sounds dumb but that’s really the best way to say it…I just wish I could do something for you.”  
  
“Something…” And Rose’s eyes just happen to dip, just happen to catch her hands resting in her lap. Her lips part for just a moment, only to shut tight as her face goes red. “Th…thank you for the concern, but, I think I’ll be fine.”   
  
If John caught what raced through her head, he has the decency not to voice it. He simply leans in a little more. “Hm. Well…” Sleepily he begins to nuzzle her cheek. “Next time then.”  
  
Rose rolls her eyes, not allowing herself to blush. For a quiet moment she simply watches the rocky celling. To think, this had all started because of those damn rocks. Only an hour or so ago she thought it might be the end for them, and now she felt so unbelievable alive. What if Jack hadn’t left? What would they have said, or do, or…  
  
Wait. Rose turns back to the boy on her shoulder. “John, what did you mean by ‘next-?’”  
  
He snores in response.  
  
She looks at him for a moment, his peacefully fluttering eyes and loose half-smile, and sighs. Moving carefully so as not to wake him, she rearranges herself to lie against his shoulder, pulling him in a loose embrace. Well, Rose thinks with a smile, he  _does_  make a comfortable bed.  
  
Outside the rain taps out a soft melody, running a counterpoint with their gentle breathing. They sleep.


	6. OMAKE

_\---turntechGodhead [TG] began pestering ectobiologist [EB]---_   
  
  
TG: hey dude   
  
TG: guess who’s the biggest badass this side of the universe   
  
TG: multiverse   
  
TG: whatever cause SPOILER ALERT its me   
  
TG: man youre not gonna believe the shit i went through to get these things back   
  
TG: im talking lord of the rings level shit right here   
  
TG: cept frodo is badass of the year with a set of shades   
  
TG: and sam is a weepy psuedofurry    
  
TG: whos all starry eyed and dying to get into mr frodos pants   
  
TG: oh wait i guess that part’s pretty much the same   
  
  
  
TG: john   
  
TG: dude come on, do not play the pretend to be dead to see how much dave really cares game   
  
TG: i know jacks not there one of the alternate daves told me he was on lohac   
  
  
  
  
TG: egbert   
  
EB: yeah   
  
TG: oh    
  
TG: haha there you are   
  
TG: fucking asshole you almost made me care for a sec there   
  
TG: anyways yeah got the glasses back. and fuck have i got a story   
  
TG: like an epic   
  
TG: seven parts minimum   
  
TG: and one of the parts is really two huge parts as one but well all just whistle and pretend its seven   
  
  
  
  
TG: dude   
  
TG: dude come on I am going all squeally gossip girl on you   
  
TG: and you don’t even have the decency to make fun of me for it   
  
TG: come on enough with the cold shoulder   
  
TG: what did i forget our anniversary or something   
  
EB: oh   
  
TG: oh what   
  
EB: oh god   
  
TG: what   
  
EB: yes yes   
  
TG: …..what   
  
TG: dude are you even   
  
TG: oh my god did you leave the voice to text thing on   
  
TG: oh my god egbert look straight ahead   
  
TG: look at the text right in front of your fucking eyes   
  
EB: oh god rose    
  
EB: don’t stop   
  
TG: what   
  
EB: please don’t stop   
  
TG: don’t stop what   
  
EB: oh f-fuck jesus   
  
EB: I-I-I want   
  
TG: w   
  
EB: I need you    
  
TG:    
  
EB: i need you so bad    
  
TG:    
  
EB: rose   
  
TG: you arent   
  
EB: rose   
  
TG: you cant be   
  
TG: oh my fucking   
  
EB: i-i’m close   
  
TG: oh myghj   
  
TG: how   
  
TG: why   
  
TG: fucking   
  
TG: fuc   
  
  
_\--- turntechGodhead [TG] ceased pestering ectobiologist [EB]---_


End file.
